Syria is on the news again (never left the news anyway), and like always, for all the wrong reasons, as just a few days after the Assad administration and its allies of Iran and Russia were warned on Idlib, the United State of America has somehow made good is earlier threat, by announcing a fresh sanction on some identified individuals and entities believed to be aiding the Assad regime in Syria.
In a statement released by the US State Department a few hours ago, the financial sanctions were placed on these individuals and entities because they have been providing and supplying weapons/fuel, financial and material support to the Assad regime while innocent Syrians are being killed on a daily.
The statement reads:
“Today, the United States imposed financial sanctions on four individuals and five entities that have facilitated weapons or fuel transfers, or provided other financial or material support, to the Assad regime in Syria.”
The sanctioned individuals are Syrian nationals Yasir ‘Abas, Adnan Al-Ali, and Muhammad al-Qatirji, and Lebanese national Fadi Nasser. The sanctioned entities are the AL-Qatirji Company, which is based in Syria, Nasco Polymers and Chemicals, which is based in Lebanon, Abar Petroleum Service SAL, which is based in Lebanon, International Pipeline Construction FZE, which is based in the United Arab Emirates, and Sonex Investments Ltd., which is based in the United Arab Emirates.
As a result of today’s announcement, all of these individuals’ and entities’ assets within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. individuals and entities are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
The statement stated further that:
Today’s action shows that the United States will continue to take concrete and forceful action to cut off material support to the Assad regime and its supporters. The United States will continue to use all available mechanisms to isolate the Assad regime, a government which has systematically arrested, tortured, and murdered tens of thousands of Syrian civilians in response to their legitimate and nonviolent calls for their freedom, rights, and political reforms.
President Donald Trump had earlier warned Bashar al-Assad of that he must not recklessly attack Idlib Province, while also letting Russians and Iranians know that they would be making a grave humanitarian mistake to take part in a potential human tragedy if Idlib should be attacked, as Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed, asking they should not let that happen.
This fresh sanctions will definitely send a serious message and some how, possibly slow down the operations of the Syrian administration in the ongoing fight against the rebels.